Dental Crowns

Dental Crowns

When it comes to dental restorations, crowns are one of the most common. Brushing our teeth and flossing daily can help to maintain the health and appearance of our teeth, and many of us have this habit drummed into us from a young age. However, try as we might to look after our teeth, over time some damage and decay is almost virtually unavoidable.

Dental crowns are one of the simplest restorations for minor to moderate damage and decay. Ready to find out more?

What are dental crowns?

Dental crowns are prosthetics that look just like regular teeth, but sit over the top of your affected tooth, encasing it fully inside. Once in place, the crown restores the strength, shape, size and overall appearance of the tooth.

Crowns can be made from several different materials including metal, porcelain that is fused to a metal shell, and 100% porcelain. While metal crowns are the cheapest option, restorations made at the front of the mouth are usually requested in porcelain that is color-matched to the surrounding teeth. This makes porcelain crowns a discreet and natural-looking solution.

Reasons for a dental crown

Crowns can be used to remedy a number of different dental problems, including:

Broken / severely eroded teeth

Cracked teeth

Weakened teeth that are at risk of breaking

If a cavity filling is required that is larger than the tooth can properly support

If a dental bridge is required

Teeth that are discolored, often due to trauma

Teeth that are misshapen Crowns are also used to provide the visible portion of the tooth in dental implants.

Our technology

We are pleased to be able to offer an outstanding quality dental crown service thanks to the advanced technology we use. This includes i-CAT Cone Beam imaging, which allows us to capture a full 3D image of your affected tooth and plan your dental crown with absolute precision, and show you how your restoration will look.

We are also delighted to be able to use E4D technologies for designing your custom-fit reconstruction and creating it right there whilst you wait. Our team can fabricate, glaze and cure your new dental crown in less than 90 minutes meaning that you can walk out with a fully functional, beautiful smile.

The process to receive dental crowns

To ensure that your new crowns fit correctly, you can expect your affected tooth to require some preparation. This may involve filing down the affected tooth so that the crown can fit properly over the top. However, in the case of a tooth that has been worn down or broken, the preparation process may involve building the affected tooth back up so that it can successfully support the crown.

It may also be necessary to clear out any bacteria or infection present in the tooth before we can fit the crown. This will prevent any further underlying problems from occurring after the crown as has been fitted.

Once the preparation work is complete, we will be able to fit and secure your new permanent crown in place, restoring the full use and appearance of your teeth.

Dental crowns are an effective way of restoring the function and appearance of your teeth and smile. They have been shown to last longer than many other types of dental restoration, making them a superb investment in your long-term dental health. Their natural appearance also makes them an extremely discreet solution for teeth that are damaged, discolored or decayed.

Dr. Thomas Young and the team at EQ Dental have extensive experience in providing dental crowns to patients in and around the Keller, TX area. If you would like to discuss whether a crown may be the right dental restoration for you, or if you would like to find out more about our services, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly, knowledgeable team at 817-741 4567.

General Dentistry

Professional Cleanings, Exams, and X-Rays

Cleanings

Professional cleanings performed by a licensed dentist or hygienist are just as important to your dental health as daily brushing and flossing. Using specialized tools and training, your hygienist at EQ Dental will remove:

Plaque build-up from the surfaces of teeth. Bacteria in the mouth form plaque, which collects on teeth and causes decay, gum disease and gingivitis.

Tartar from teeth surfaces. Tartar, or calculus, is plaque that has become hardened on the teeth. Its removal requires scaling.

Surface stains from teeth through polishing.

Some patients will require a deep cleaning due to gum disease and past periodontal treatments. Thomas Young DDS will review your past dental history and identify any issues you may need treatment for.

Examinations

Regular examinations, by Thomas Young DDS, help detect and prevent health issues before they become serious. Consistent dental check-ups help catch problems when they are small and easier to treat. Left unattended, small treatable problems become worse and may require more extensive, expensive procedures to repair. Dental examinations generally include the following:

Regular examinations by Thomas Young DDS are very important for your health. Remember, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." –Benjamin Franklin

X-rays (Radiographs)

Dental x-rays are a primary tool for early identification of dental problems. Your Keller dentist can detect issues with x-rays before they become problems, saving you money in the long run by preventing the need for more expensive procedures or surgeries. X-rays are primarily used to detect internal tooth decay, cysts (fluid filled sacks at the base of your teeth), tumors, impacted teeth, and teeth that are still erupting.

Read about the other General Dentistry services we offer!

Composite or Amalgam Fillings

At EQ Dental, we can restore your tooth after it has been damaged from decay using a durable filling material that should last several years. The commonly used material for dental fillings includes composite and amalgam. Dr. Young can discuss the pros and cons of each material, helping you make the right choice for your situation.

What is composite filling?

Composite is a blend of quartz that has been mixed with a resin. In the past, this material was thought to be not as strong as amalgam, but it has greatly advanced. Patients love this material because it is durable, strong, and is able to be colored to match their tooth, making the restoration nearly invisible. Additionally, composite sticks to the tooth, and bonds to the surface, meaning he is able to remove just the decayed portion before filling.

The pros to composite filling include:

Good durability

Resistance to fracture in small-to-mid size restorations

Ok to use on teeth that use moderate chewing pressure

More aesthetically pleasing in color and ability to hide

Has a unique ability to bond directly to the tooth surface

Requires Dr. Young to remove less of the natural tooth structure vs. amalgam

What is amalgam filling?

Amalgam is the traditional metal material used for filling teeth. In fact, records show that this material has been used for at least 200 years! Using a metal alloy blend, Dr. Young uses amalgam for teeth that are difficult to work on and have a high pressure chewing position. Increasingly less used, Amalgam does still have a place in dentistry.

The pros to composite filling include:

Its ability to be placed wet, composite requires being placed dry

The durability of the material for high impact chewing pressure

It has a good long term durability

The downside to Amalgam fillings is that it does not bond to the walls of the natural tooth, often require that more tooth structure is removed to create a space that will hold the filling in place.

What is the process to receiving my filling?

When meeting with Dr. Young, he will start with an examination including dental x-rays. During this time, he will review his findings, and discuss the best course of action, including answering any questions you have. If treatment has been decided, he will begin by applying anesthetic to the tooth that requires the filling. He will then remove any decay that is present and prepare the tooth for either the composite or amalgam filling. This process is relatively painless and fast. You may leave feeling numb but should experience little to no discomfort within a couple of hours.

Can composite filling be used to make other repairs on my teeth?

You may have heard of some of the wonders of composite filling. Besides filling a decayed tooth, we can do more! Dr. Young is able to make simple repairs to your teeth using this quartz and resin blend that are strong and durable.

Composite filling material can be used to repair front teeth that have chipped, fractured, or worn. We can fill gaps and cover teeth that have been stained. Where possible, aesthetic bonding of composite material to front teeth is generally much less expensive than veneers or crowns. However, bonding typically does not last as long as veneers or crowns.

If your tooth is sensitive for a week or more it is important to call our office at (817) 741-4567 so we can examine the tooth and determine if additional treatment is needed.

For more information on fillings, and the materials we can use, contact Thomas Young, DDS, at our Keller, TX 76244 office or by calling the front desk at EQ Dental. 817-741 4567.

Root Canal Therapy

If there was one dental procedure guaranteed to strike fear into the heart of any patient it would probably be root canal treatment. However, it has a slightly unfair reputation as thanks to advances in modern dental techniques, root canal treatment is now a painless and simple procedure.

If you have been told that you may need root canal, read on to find out more about this important and straightforward dental treatment.

Understanding root canal

To understand what root canal treatment is, you must first understand what and where the root canal is.

Every tooth has three layers. The outside layer is enamel, and is the hardest part of the tooth. The middle layer is called dentin and is slightly softer. The center part of your tooth is very soft and known as the pulp. The root canal system is contained within the pulp and extends down from the crown of the tooth right to the very ends of the root. Each root canal helps to supply the tooth with blood vessels, nutrients and nerves. When the very center of the tooth becomes decayed, the pulp dies and cuts off the supply of nutrients, blood and nerves that the tooth needs to be healthy.

When is root canal necessary?

The need for root canal treatment begins with an infection in the pulp of the tooth. This can be caused by a number of things, though decay or damage to the tooth are usually to blame. The infection often spreads quickly and is well established before the first symptoms become noticeable, which normally include:

- Pain when chewing or biting

- Pain or sensitivity when consuming hot or cold food or drink

- A tooth which seems loose

By the time the infection spreads to the root canal system, the symptoms tend to worsen and include:

- Swelling of the face

- Swelling in the gum around the affected tooth

- Pus and oozing from the gum around the affected tooth

- The affected tooth may also become darker in color

If root canal treatment is performed in a timely manner, it is entirely possible to save your natural tooth and make it healthy once more.

Antibiotics and infections in the root canal

Many people ask why they cannot just be prescribed antibiotics to deal with the infection in their root canal system. Unfortunately, while antibiotics are able to target and eradicate many bacterial infections, they have found to be unsuccessful in treating infections that occur in the root canal. Instead it is necessary to manually clear out the infection from the inside of the tooth, and this is what root canal treatment does.

The procedure for root canal

After you have been adequately anesthetized and we are certain that you can feel no pain, we will be able to drill down through your tooth and access the infected area. We will then locate all of the root canals within that tooth (there can be more than one!) so that we can be certain that all of the infection within the tooth is cleared out.

The next step of the process involves cleaning and shaping the interior of your tooth, removing all bacteria from each of the root canals using our precision tools, and enlarging the canals so that they can be filled and sealed.

Once we are certain that we have removed all traces of infection, we will place a temporary cavity filling over the top of the affected tooth and you will be able to go home so that the tooth can settle. A few days later you will need to return to our offices where we can check that the infection is completely gone. Once we are satisfied this is the case, we will seal your tooth with a permanent cavity filling or crown.

Root canal is a simple, straightforward and painless procedure that can help you to retain your natural teeth and experience better oral health. Dr. Thomas Young and the team at EQ Dental are delighted to be able to provide high quality root canal treatment and exceptional patient care in Keller, TX and the surrounding area. If you would like to discuss root canal treatment further, or if you would like to find out more about any of our other restorative or cosmetic dentistry services, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our offices today.

Extractions

Try as we might to look after our teeth, sometimes decay or damage is so severe that extraction is the only way that we can keep the remainder of your teeth healthy. Extraction may sound like a frightening prospect, but thanks to advances in modern dental techniques, it is now a simple and painless process that can help you enjoy better oral health.

Occasionally it may be necessary to pull out a perfectly healthy tooth. This is normally only ever done if there are too many teeth in the mouth and it is overcrowded. However, removal of the wisdom teeth, which are found at the very back of the mouth, is a common occurrence.

Wisdom tooth removal

The wisdom teeth are almost always the last teeth that we receive in our lifetime, and often come through when we are in our late teens or even early twenties. By the time they arrive, all of our other adult teeth are already in place and often, there simply isn’t room for the wisdom teeth to come through properly. They can come through partially, twisted or at an angle. When this happens, the teeth are referred to as ‘impacted’ and if they are causing problems such as pain or infection, they will require surgical intervention to either help them through or remove them altogether.

The wisdom teeth can be found in the very back of your mouth, one tooth in each corner. Quite often if one wisdom tooth needs to be removed, they all do. It is easier to remove all of the wisdom teeth at one time than have to return several months later because problems with another wisdom tooth have developed.

The extraction procedure

Whether you are having wisdom teeth or unhealthy/damaged teeth extracted, the process remains the same.

First, you will have your mouth numbed so that you cannot feel any pain. This is done via a quick injection, that shouldn’t feel like any more than a little scratch when it is administered. Within a few minutes, your mouth should feel completely numb.

Gum Disease Treatments

Periodontal Maintenance

A periodontal maintenance procedure (PMP) is defined as a procedure that is recommended following periodontal treatment (such as scaling and root planing) and continues at varying intervals, determined by the clinical evaluation of the dentist.

These intervals can be as frequent as every two months and they can be extended as long as six months, depending on the patient. Keeping up your PMP interval is important because periodontal disease can recur without adequate follow-up.

PMP includes removal of plaque and tartar above and below the gums, scaling and root planing of specific areas, and polishing. PMP is always completed following active periodontal treatment such as scaling and root planing or more extensive gum surgery.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and Root Planing is a special type of treatment that goes deeper BELOW the gum line to remove contaminated debris and bacteria, most often performed on patients with active periodontitis.

This seems to be a procedure that causes so much confusion for patients in trying to understand the difference between "just a cleaning" and Scaling and Root Planing, and the need/reason for this procedure.

A professional polishing or prophy removes only the soft sticky plaque and hard crusty calculus that is ABOVE the gum line on the crown of the tooth. Scaling and Root Planing is done to remove soft sticky plaque and hard crusty calculus that is loaded with bacteria, around and BELOW the gum line on root surfaces. It is a method of treating gum disease when pockets formed around the teeth have a measurement of greater than 3mm and there is evidence of bleeding and tissue attachment loss.

Scaling

Scaling is a procedure that meticulously removes contaminated biofilm, plaque, calculus, microorganisms and toxins from around the gum line down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket, in order to obtain a healing response.

Root Planing

Root planing involves smoothing the root surfaces of your teeth with thin instruments so gum tissue can more firmly reattach to roots that are clean and smooth, to prevent tooth loss and sensitivity problems. This procedure makes it more difficult for plaque, calculus and bacteria to accumulate along these root surfaces.

Because this procedure goes deeper than a regular cleaning, your mouth may be numbed. The cleaning may take one to six visits to complete. Depending on the extent of the disease, you may need one or more quadrants of the mouth to be treated with scaling and root planing.

Some Reasons Why Root Planning May Be Necessary

To control the growth of harmful bacteria

Help the pocket wall reattach firmly to the clean root surface

Prevent further bleeding of the gums from disease

Reduce inflammation

Reduce discomfort

Prevent bone loss

Prevent gum disease related tooth loss

Reduce systemic disease

Home Care After Root Planing and Scaling

Rinse with warm salt water every few hours (1/2 tsp. salt in 8 oz. water) for the remainder of the day to encourage healing and sooth discomfort. Be careful not to bite or chew your lip, cheek or tongue while they are numb. Avoid chewing for 2 hours after this procedure or until numbness has worn off. Keep your fingers and tongue away from the areas that have been treated. Take Tylenol or ibuprofen according to directions on the manufacturer label for a couple of days to help with the discomfort; do NOT take aspirin because it may prolong bleeding.

Rinse your mouth with Closys or Chlorohexidine, if prescribed by your dentist, to reduce oral bacteria. Do not smoke or chew tobacco for 72 hours after the procedure to allow for healing. Gently brush and floss your teeth after each meal. How you care for your teeth and gums at home after treatment is critical to reducing the risk of recurring periodontal disease.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are used to restore portions of the tooth, or to strengthen a tooth. They are alternatives to using fillings or a crown to restore the integrity of the tooth.

Inlays

When there is only partial damage to your tooth, an inlay can be bonded inside the remaining tooth structure. Traditionally, gold is the material of choice for this type of restoration, and although this is available, most of our dental patients prefer the more natural look that ceramic provides.

Onlays

Onlays are used to restore a portion of the biting cusp of a tooth or to restore the strength of a tooth. Instead of removing healthy tooth structure for a crown placement, an onlay can be used as a more conservative restoration.

Sometimes onlays are referred to as "inside crowns." That is a good description, as it describes the strengthening process that an onlay creates for the tooth. At EQ Dental, we prefer to do onlays when possible to lessen the amount of healthy tooth removed, compared to traditional crowns. Research has shown that the less you reduce a tooth, the better it will survive long-term, and our goal is to provide you with healthy teeth for life.

Bonding

Composite Dental Bonding

Bonding is a procedure in which we apply a tooth-colored composite material to a tooth, shape it, allow it to harden and polish it. It can be used in certain situations where a tooth has been damaged or become stained. These are generally minor repairs, ones that can be resolved through this relatively inexpensive means rather than through a more costly dental procedure.​​​​​​​

Here's How it Works

The dentist prepares the tooth surface so that the bonding material will adhere. Once that's been applied, the dentist will shape it so that it has a natural appearance. Then the material is allowed to harden, usually with the help of a light. Finally, the composite is polished and buffed so that the surface is smooth.

This is not a process that is recommended if you are a smoker as smoke causes staining. Also, the material is not as durable as porcelain veneers and crowns so it chips more easily; eventually it may require replacing.

Bonding is a perfectly adequate and more affordable solution to certain dental problems. Dental bonding can take less time to accomplish and may not even require anesthesia. Depending upon the issue, insurance may cover it.

Please don't procrastinate if you have a dental problem but are worried about the time, cost or pain involved. Perhaps dental bonding can offer you a solution. Give us a call at (817) 741-4567 so we can discuss options with you.